Kentucky Distillersís Association Sues Sazerac

I have no problem with this. The KDA has created the "Bourbon Trail" as a successful marketing tool for members of the organization. If you quit the organization, you no longer get to benefit from the advertising the organization is paying for.

Re: Kentucky Distillersís Association Sues Sazerac

I wish someone who is sure they know what this is about would enlighten me.

I don't know what this is about.

I do know this. The KDA is a membership organization. This isn't some entity, the KDA suing Sazerac, this is all the remaining members of KDA suing Sazerac. This is the industry against one of its own who is defying the will of the rest of the leading companies, and not saying why.

KDA had no choice but to sue to protect its trademark. If Sazerac can use it without permission anyone can use it without permission so why would the remaining companies continue to fund it?

KDA's actions are easily explained. The mystery is why is Sazerac provoking this confrontation?

Re: Kentucky Distillersís Association Sues Sazerac

Originally Posted by cowdery

Please elaborate. How would that explain this?

I am wildly speculating about what is driving the wedge between the KDA members and Saz, primarily to enliven conversation about any other possible scenarios. If Saz were going to distill and bottle "Bourbon" in Australia, for example, it might be a reason to explain the underlying bad blood of late between the KDA and Saz.

Re: Kentucky Distillersís Association Sues Sazerac

Originally Posted by Ultra

I am wildly speculating about what is driving the wedge between the KDA members and Saz, primarily to enliven conversation about any other possible scenarios. If Saz were going to distill and bottle "Bourbon" in Australia, for example, it might be a reason to explain the underlying bad blood of late between the KDA and Saz.

Bourbon, as defined by law, is an american spirit. it can be distilled in kentucky or in texas, but not in australia.

Originally Posted by SMOWK

I like to save up the charred bits in the bottom of the unfiltered stuff. When I have enough, I pour milk on it and eat it.

Re: Kentucky Distillersís Association Sues Sazerac

Originally Posted by ErichPryde

Bourbon, as defined by law, is an american spirit. it can be distilled in kentucky or in texas, but not in australia.

That's an interesting theory Ultra, but in addition to the US law Erik mentioned, there's an international treaty that protects the use of the term Bourbon. The same treaty(s) protect Scotch, Tequila, Cognac, Armagnac, Port et al.

Plus they already make bourbon outside of Kentucky. They own the Bowman Distillery in Virginia which has been making bourbon for decades.

Saz's break with the KDA has been very strange. I wish we could get the straight dope from somebody.

Re: Kentucky Distillersís Association Sues Sazerac

The dispute started in summer of 2009, when Sazerac applied for a trademark and copyright on the phrase "Buffalo Trace Distillery on the Bourbon Trail" and "Tom Moore Distillery on the Bourbon Trail."

The Distillers' Association claims those proposed trademarks violate the existing trademarks related to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, a cluster of distilleries in central Kentucky.

Sazerac was once a member of the association, but resigned from the Kentucky Distillers' Association in January after being unable to settle the dispute over the trademarks.

In an e-mail dated Feb. 1 and attached to the lawsuit, Sazerac President Mark Brown said the company doesn't plan to violate the association's trademarks.

"However, we will continue to use the public domain phrases 'the Bourbon Trail' and 'the Trail' to describe the location of our Buffalo Trace and Tom Moore distilleries as permitted by federal trademark law," Brown wrote.

So does a judge think "the Bourbon Trail" is different enough from "Kentucky Bourbon Trail"? I think we'll find out.